MORE than 1000 complaints about damp and mould were reported to the council last year.

A new report about dampness and mould and is impact on the housing stock, shows complaints to Glasgow City Council have increased by more than 200 in the last two years.

While the council doesn’t own any homes it is the local housing authority for Glasgow and tenants can report substandard properties to its environmental health department.

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It has been revealed that in the last full year, 2022 there were more than 1000 reports of damp through either condensation or water ingress.

It is an increase of 202 complaints from2020 when there were 865 reports made, an increase of almost 25%.

The reports are split into dampness from condensation and water penetration.

For water penetration, which can cause damp and mould, there has been a rise of more than 150 complaints over two years.

In 2020 the council received 724 complaints, the following year it went up to 762 and in 2022 it was higher again up to 886.

The rise over two years is 22%.

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In 2020 there were 141 complaints made to the council environmental health department about condensation dampness.

The following year this increased to 176 and last year it increased again, slightly to 181.

Between 2020 and 2022 the increase in complaints has been 28%.

The council says these are only the cases reported to it and the full picture is likely to be even higher.

While the council does not own any homes is the housing authority for Glasgow and can take action to force repairs to be carried out.

If the issues are not repaired it can lead to the homes being deemed below tolerable standard meaning it is unfit to live in.

A council report by George Gillespie, executive director of neighbourhoods stated: “A house will normally be considered below tolerable standard if an assessor, normally with the use of a protimeter moisture meter, finds persistent visible penetrating damp which covers an area greater than approximately: 10% of the overall wall space in one apartment in the house; 10% of the ceiling in one apartment in the house; or 20% of overall wall space or ceiling in one or more other spaces in the house.”

Mr Gillespie said in the report to councillors: “There have been a number of high profile cases of dampness/condensation in housing over recent times, with one particular dreadful case in England leading the Coroner in England to link the condition of a property to the death of a child, Awaab Ishak in 2020.

“Dampness and condensation are known to adversely affect the health of vulnerable people, such as babies and immunocompromised individuals. Inhaling or touching mould spores may cause an allergic reaction, such as sneezing, a runny nose, red eyes and skin rash and moulds can also cause asthma attacks and other pulmonary conditions.”